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Volume CVI, Number 26
University of Southern California
Thursday, February 18, 1988
Employee turnovers delay degree checks
By Katherine Dyar
Assistant Qtv Editor
Because of last year's unexpected staff turnovers and late requests from students, the graduation department has completed only about 1,000 of the 3,800 to 4,000 graduate and undergraduate degree checks expected before commencement this May.
Rose Kukla, manager of the graduation department, said that last semester7 s severe shortage in counselors has left the office further behind in processing undergraduate applications than it would usually be at this point in the semester.
For students planning to graduate this spring, Feb. 15 was the last day to submit requests for their degree checks — an official review of their course work to see that they have met the requirements for
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their particular degree program — and be guaranteed a place in the May 1988 commencement program.
Kukla said that late requests for degree (Continued on page 2)
MEG EISENBERG DAILY TROJAN
Graduation department officials work Wednesday to process senior grade checks.
Second student alleges dishonesty, prejudice in cinema school; may sue
By Karl Kahler
Staff Writer
As one lawsuit involving the School of Cinema-Televi-sion gets under way, a second cinema student is protesting the production of his film under another director.
Michael Rissi, 23, a graduate student majoring in cinema production, charged that the school's director selec-
tion committee discriminated against him in choosing another director for the film and that the school's dean broke a verbal agreement not to produce the script.
Rissi submitted a script for a musical titled Somebody to be considered for production in CNTV 480, a class in which student crews produce 20-minute films.
School policy dictates that a student may submit only one film script closed, meaning that only the writer can direct it. Rissi had already submitted a closed script, so he had to submit Somebody open in order for it to be considered.
Rissi said he was told by John Howe, a professor on the committee, that he would be given first preference as director because he was the writer.
But when he went before the selection committee to "pitch” the film — present a proposal outlining how he would direct it — he believed Howe had already decided against letting him direct it, he said.
"When I went in to pitch, it became clear to me that not
'When I went in to pitch, it became clear to me that not only would I not be given preference, but there was prejudice against me.'
Michael Rissi
JIMMY LEE / DAILY TROJAN
A condom dispenser, one of several machines installed last week at four campus locations by the Student Senate. Students express their views on National Condom Awareness Week. See page 13.
only would I not be given preference, but there was prejudice against me," he said.
On Jan. 21, Rissi and John Cork, the student who is suing the school over the production of a film he wrote, met with Frantisek Daniel, dean of the School of Cinema-Television. The meeting was tape-recorded with Daniel's permission, both students said.
Daniel agreed to block the production of Rissi's film and to stop the screening of Cork's, which had already been produced.
'To protect myself, I will have to stop every single screening of your picture, and I will have to insist on stopping the production of the musical. That's the only position I can take," Daniel said on tape.
At the close of the meeting, he said, "I will stop any * screening of the picture, and I will stop the production." Cork then asked him for a written guarantee and Daniel ^said, "You will get it in writing."
The following day, after Daniel consulted Cinema 480 faculty members, he told the two the Rissi's film would be produced and Cork's would be screened.
(Continued on page 7)
Student Senate
Librarian reveals donation for new teaching library
By Brad Bowlin
Staff Writer
A "very significant gift" toward the construction of a proposed $24 million teaching library will be announced soon, Charles Ritcheson, university librarian, told the Student Senate at its Feb. 17 meeting.
The gift, in addition to the $2.5 million donated recently by the Weingard Foundation, will represent a major portion of the money needed to build the five-story, 100,000-square-foot structure, Ritcheson said.
The triangular building will sit adjacent to Parking Structure C, between Bimkrant Residence Hall and Pardee Tower. The library, planned to house 200,000 books and reserved materials, should be completed in three to five years, he said.
Talk of the new library sparked discussion about extending the hours of the university's current library facilities.
The 1986-87 senate began efforts to keep campus facilities operating during later hours, and the current senate is following up on the idea, said Phil Clement, senate vice president.
Ritcheson said extending Doheny Library's hours past midnight is "a very complicated matter that I cannot solve simply by throwing a few thousand more dollars at it."
The library computer system must be shut down to catalog new acquisitions and to tabulate the day's activities after hours, Ritcheson said, adding that keeping the library open later would also require "megabucks" to hire student help.
The fact that escort service takes its last call at 12:45 a.m. could also deter students from staying in the library' after midnight, Ritcheson said.
But escort could be taking calls later if the senate gets its way.
A group of senators will be sitting in security offices between 1 and 3 a.m. in future weekends to survey the student need for escort service between those hours.
(Continued on page 8)